Grady Hospital does not provide health care for everybody and its not fair.If a person dosent have proof of income or they cant show proof of resident they cant be seen well some people dont have jobs and some people dont have a resident what do they do? should they be turned down because of it? well they do and its not right because people are people no matter what their status is .and they or we deserve treatment like anybody else so I hope that there is somebody out there that can do something about this because people cant control the status of their health but without the proper treatment the people perish.

A More Efficient and Progressive Dental Workforce is Needed in Meeting the Worlds Oral Healthcare Needs

Let’s start with the denturist profession. One thing more countries can do, including the United States, is regulate the denturist profession. Let denturists do the denture and partial procedures freeing up dentists chairtime for children, emergencies, and other restorative dental procedures. The denturist profession has been successful across Canada and in other countries. Denturists are on the front lines for oral healthcare, trained and educated in recognizing healthy tissue and when seeing something questionable, denturists are trained and educated in referral services. In most cases edentulous people dealing with disparities won’t step foot over the threshold of a dental office knowing that they can’t afford the services but will go into a denturist office.

The denturist profession spends time and resources, fighting for recognition and fighting for our right to serve those in need of our services which we have been trained and educated in. The education, training and formal recognition as a graduate and licensee of our profession gives us the right to serve and the American Dental Association has no right to keep us from serving. Here in the United States of America it is wrong for corporate ADA, a nonprofit organization, to use its membership dues to fight and lobby against the denturist profession which works to better the oral healthcare needs of Americans and rightfully so for the denturist profession throughout the world. The American Dental Association works against its own vision and mission statement by suppressing competition that has been trained and educated in providing dental and oral health care services to people with disparities.

Please consider a story about the services of Prevent Blindness Georgia, a non-profit statewide organization that works to prevent blindness and preserve sight for all Georgians. See http://www.pbga.org for more information and call me at 404-266-2020

Therapy Mom

Georgia’s Medicaid CMO’s make it nearly impossible for lower income children who need physical, occupational or speech therapy to get adequate services. Private providers have found the CMO’s difficult to deal with, slow to pay, and now Wellcare wants them to sign a contract that would effectively lower their professional rate to as little as $22 an hour. Consequently, most private providers are unable to maintain a business with financial stability and accept patients who have CMO’s. Now, I have heard that Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, who has not provided therapy services to kids with chronic issues for some time, will no longer accept CMO patients for therapy services either. While providers want to make therapy services all about the children who need them, not the money, it’s impossible to maintain a business at the rate and infrequency of payments from CMO’s. We can brag all we want about how we have medical care for the working poor in our state – but if they can’t access that care because providers can’t afford to take them on, what good are the programs? Talk to therapy clinics, talk to individual providers of therapy services, and talk to CHOA – no one can afford to take these kids!

Amber

This is something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life and my nightmare started March of 2012 with an trip to the ER on a Friday. We just lost our house and was in the processes of moving. So every time we went back to the house to get something more bruises would pop up. My whole left arm was black and blue from moving the fish tank (75 gallons) and under my butt was the impression of a tailgate. I was in the ER with no insurance and with platelets at 7,000. I was covered in bruises all over (I looked like a punching bag with hematomas on my upper thighs).The ER did not give me platelets or IVIG’s (since I have no insurance) and sent me home. I could have died that weekend, and that is my reality. Platelets are suppose to be at 150,00 to 400,000.

I had 8 rounds of a chemo (which made my hair dead loss like crazy, so I had my husband shave it for me) drug called Rituxan and up to 100mg of Prednisone a day. My platelets last year topped out at 105,000 and it is a roller coaster, up then down, I am at 32,000 as of last Wednesday. I am with my 2nd Oncologist and I don’t know what is next. My medical bills have topped out so far at $300,000 and that was due to all the chemo.

Went last Wednesday for a CBC and had good feeling it was in the normal range. The next day I got the CBC back and I was not even near normal, under 50,000 is in the danger zone. Once again I am back in the danger zone.

I try to keep up with my blog. http://www.theyardson.blogspot.com Since this all started I’ve been in pain and I work full-time and my husband is a full-time student (he keeps saying he will drop out and get a job ( that is not an option, he is so close to finishing school)). I worked although the chemo, really couldn’t afford to take off. The stress of all of this is taking its toll on my husband and myself. Of course the stress isn’t helping any. I have an CBC on 5/22 and Oncologist on 5/23. I am keeping my fingers crossed, that is all I can do and not think to much about it.

I have been tested for everything under the sun and I feel like a pin cushion. We lost our house last year due to cut backs at work (at the same time I was diagnosed with I.T.P). We also sold almost everything and now we sleep on an air mattress. The only thing we have is each other and our 2 small dogs. They always helped when coming home from Chemo. But if it wasn’t for the support of my husband I don’t think I would have made it this far.

05/30/2013

by Yard Family

Ok, just got back and I have to go weekly for a CBC for the next four weeks. Then re-check in four weeks. Will not start new medication until the platelets start to drop. It could be days, weeks or even months. It just depends on my body, also asked if there is anything I need to change in my life style. I have already cut out red meat, alcohol and trying to add more fruits and vegetables. He said there is nothing that I can change to help with my platelets, my body is destroying them for whatever reason.

Talk to the hospital and turned in the information that they wanted. Guess what the hospital stay is $80,000.00 and some change. That does not include the doctors that I saw in the ER and hospital…. GREAT!! Just hope that the hospital approves the application. Then I would just have to worry about the doctor bills,,,,?!!

05/30/2013

by Yard Family

Just got my CBC back and 164 that is the highest it has ever been….. This is great, and I get new RX tomorrow. I see the doctor at 1:30 today and will get information on how and when to take new medication. I think I can’t eat 2 hours after taking and have to wait 4 hours to take anything else. We will see…

Getting things ready for the hospital financial assistance, they sure do what a lot. But I will give them anything they need to make this as less stressful as possible. Wish me luck!

05/29/2013

by Yard Family

For anyone that doesn’t feel comfortable donating to this website just let me know. I can forward my Oncologist information or Hospital (not a problem).

Came home from doctor today to find out Mouse ate a note from Chan. Well, I figured it out, it was Walgreens looking for information on shipping my RX Promacta (platelet growth factor).

The headache is still here and left arm is killing me. Chan came home from break at school we had dinner and now I’m trying to relax and let this headache go. Cheno is still stuck to me like glue. Maybe he can help with the headache.

05/29/2013

by Yard Family

I have never met this woman and now she means so much to me… I went for my CBC at family doctor got there early seeing I need to go see the hospital financial office. I saw my doctor pulling in and I should have listen to my gut to turn around and see him. A friend that his since moved away but I still talk to her. Her mother has left a check to cover the cost of my CBC’s for awhile. A very big THANKS to (Abby) and the Goldman family, you have always been there even if your not close. I love you all even if I have never met you before, your family..

05/28/2013

by Yard Family

Didn’t feel very well this morning and yesterday but starting to feel much better. I uploaded a photo from all the IV’s from the hospital (what it did to my arm).

05/28/2013

by Yard Family

Back at work today, very weak and of course sore and tired. Just looking forward to being off tomorrow. Getting a CBC at 2:30 tomorrow and re-check at Oncologist on Thursday at 1:30.
They said I would feel flu like symptoms from the IVIG’s and yep that is how I feel.

05/27/2013

by Yard Family

Happy to be home from the hospital, still weak tried and sore. But I had to get up and eat something so I could take my medications. Cheno (my little man) is stuck to me like glue today which mean he knows i’m still not doing well. I’m keeping my head up and will be close to the couch and bed today. Trying to get my energy back and my head on straight.

Got lots of finical phone calls to make on Tuesday. A lady from the hospital and one from Georgia Cancer Specialist sure hope they can help. What they do is find help for medical bills for people that don’t have the money or insurance. And should be getting a call from the RX lady helping me get my new medication. Promacta is the name of the new medication, sure hope it works. I will have to take pills daily for the rest of my life along with CBC’s which I guess it could be worse.

05/25/2013

by Yard Family

I thought they said last night the count was 24, the doctor came in and said they were 34. So I’m just waiting to find out for sure what they were. Doctor said IVIG’s at 8pm and as long as my counts keep going up I can get out of here in the Am 8-9. Chan went home to check on the dogs and Cheno was in the same spot I left him ( on the arm of the chair) I miss my little man. I sure hope I can get out of here tomorrow…. Fingers Crossed…..

05/24/2013

by Yard Family

In the hospital. Counts at 17 up from 13. So waiting on platelets and pump. Can’t even think how much this is going to cost. It is a single room with bathroom?!? Hope it is just over night re check count in morning. Chan went to check on the dogs earlier (which I miss) they have the radio on. He also picked up dinner since I haven’t ate anything since 7am….

05/24/2013

by Yard Family

Went to the Doctor yesterday, I tried to post this then but it wasn’t working. He wanted to put me in the hospital and give me IVIG’s (platelets) I don’t have that kind of money or insurance. So I went with option number two, Dexamethasone 40mg for 4 days. Going back today for another CBC if the count is not above 14k it looks like a hospital weekend.
The bleeding has stopped and feel a little better. But the side effects of the Dexamethasone side effects are not that great, head hurts, hip, and knees. Well I just hope my counts are up and will update when I find out.

05/24/2013

by Yard Family

Went to the Doctor yesterday, I tried to post this then but it wasn’t working. He wanted to put me in the hospital and give me IVIG’s (platelets) I don’t have that kind of money or insurance. So I went with option number two, Dexamethasone 40mg for 4 days. Going back today for another CBC if the count is not above 14k it looks like a hospital weekend.
The bleeding has stopped and feel a little better. But the side effects of the Dexamethasone side effects are not that great, head hurts, hip, and knees. Well I just hope my counts are up and will update when I find out.

05/21/2013

by Yard Family

I have some nasty bruises on my left hand and who knows where they came from. I also am having a hard time at work due to the fact I don’t have reliable co-workers. I have come to work on deaths door step litterer. When I was first diagnosed my platelet count was at 7000 and was going to work the next day due to the fact I don’t need to lose the hours. Good thing I still had vacation days.
I feel like no one takes what I have very seriously! I have clients that care more than the people I work with. I also feel if I would die tomorrow no one would notice other than my loving husband. He is the reason why I am still here.
But on a different note my husband is all I need! That is the reason we got married in the first place. And my attitude is another reason why I’m still around! I tell my clients all the time that I am to spiteful to die and or go anywhere. It is hard not to get depressed that is for sure. I find myself getting upset and then think that it is not going to help me to stress and get depressed.

EPDIS

Thank you for your request. I found your post on FB.

Here are my concerns:

1) Help families new to paralysis with having access to financial resources that would help them pay down the immense and burdening medical expenses of the procedures, equipment, medications that they are suddenly overwhelmed and inundated with. Don’t just hand them paperwork, give them viable leads to work with as the caregiver will be first learning how to be a caregiver.

2) Make it illegal for Long Term Disability companies to take a caregiver’s income away. The caregiver should be allowed to bring in an income to help defray medical costs instead of having the newly paralyzed do without medical needs or expecting the family to live “off of the system.”

3) Train families who are new to disabilities how to establish their own emergency preparedness plans and successfully incorporate the new challenges into their discharge plan when going home.

4) Enforce that medical facilities have accessible exam tables for those with paralysis. Being told that it is “too expensive” and “you are the only patient requesting one” should be comments of the past!

5) Set up and establish accessible PT/OT/RT therapy paths instead of encouraging the patient to give up on therapy because it is “believed” that the person with paralysis won’t improve in life.

6) Assign social workers to work with complicated family situations so that when more then 3 hours of assistance is needed…the person has access to it.

7) Create a financial counselor position that not just works with family at time of bill pay, but to instead act as a guide to help identify financial problems before they occur and in turn would create timely bill paying avenues.

All of these items are based on first hand experiences and I could tell many more. Please feel free to contact me at 770.330.5653.

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Georgia Health News is a nonprofit, independent news organization devoted to covering health care in the state. We are serious about our independence and are not affiliated with any political party, special interest organization or activist group. Our mission is to help fill the widening gap in media coverage by providing crucial information about health care in Georgia. GHN has received 501c3 status from the IRS.